63 comments:

IMO the true color blind acceptance comes from the Tea party Spirit that values free men of all backgrounds that are willing to come up on this hill and fight. That is rare in America, although some Pentacostal Churches can do it.Seeing men and women as basically good and fighting for a common goal does away with the need to color code them or to gender code them either. Don't tell the NYT.

I hope that folks who like this TP spirit (e.g. charging at the opposition w/ bayonet configured muskets, as expressed by West in my link) weren't also crying like babies because BHO called the opposition the enemy.

I don't have a problem w/ either situation. Both situations involved militaristic language in a clearly non-military/political context.

But, I do think that it was bad when Angle was talking about folks using "second amendment remedies" if they didn't get their way.

Joe,

I don't have a problem w/ his (very limited) Outlaw links. I'm sure he was just looking for votes from these racist, criminal bottom feeders. If he can get these dopes to vote for a black man, good for him. Likewise, I don't care if BHO was able to milk idiots to advance himself.

And, my question about the lapel was not rhetorical. I don't know what those pins stand for. Military?

Obama will make history for more than one reason during the Nov 6-9 visit. This will be the first time a teleprompter will be used in the nearly 100-feet high dome-shaped hall that has portraits of eminent national leaders adorning its walls.

Indian politicians are known for making impromptu long speeches and perhaps that is why some parliament officials, who did not wish to be named, sounded rather surprised with the idea of a teleprompter for Obama.

1jpb...You are correct. Speaking of armed revolution is off limits. The weapons we use in politics must be limited to raising money for TV ads, speaking out in public, holding meet and greets for the local Representative, and getting out the vote. What makes a military metaphor come to mind is the usual incoming hidden artillery barrages of off the wall slander, dissent among friends, and even business boycotts. ( E,g.,If you have never spoken up in public in support of Israel, try doing that and see what comes back in from unexpected places).

Could we have Althouse include the teleprompter stuff in all of her posts. Perhaps she could tack it on at the end of all the posts. It seems many here want to see it in all the comments.

The cons are so giddy about that. This is earth shattering!!1!!!1 It's so exciting!!1! They just saw Justin Bieber in person....er....wait a minute....maybe it's not so cool that y'all seem like school girls.

Lame is as lame does.

Birkel,

The Outlaws are known to be racists (like the Hell's Angels, which btw, my cousin would have joined if they weren't racist, but he does still party w/ them in Oakland).

Colonel West has no connection, apparently, except the one NBC News wants to trump up to try to discredit him. Don't fall into PB&J/Alex's trick of trying to hijack a thread about a good and dedicated man and soldier.

Joe...Don't discount The Airborne guys. Those guys give the USMC a run its reputation as the best. When you meet either ones, there is a clear and present confidence and strength within them that comes out, and which the Army knows nothing about. They are the ones that Trooper says hold their disciplined emotions back until it is time to do what they train intensely for every day of the week. Their job is to be ready to take off and drop in behind enemy lines within 48 hours of getting orders.

What you wrote concerned Allen West's color. After challenged you alleged racism on the part of the bikers. Those things do not square. But even if we pretend they coincide what, pray tell, is your point?

Would you condemn others who tried to get bad people to do the right thing? I heard of this guy once who made a habit of trying that.

I swear all the lefties here get paid for what they spout. What man with a spic of spine would otherwise subject himself to such conclusive and soul aching truth that their viewpoint is so utterly full of shit.

Joking about the pay, I guess. Unless it is masturbatory fantasies about how STRONG they are.

Lighten up on West. He was born in Atlanta. That makes him a brother. In 1865 et seq. the Republicans began recruiting many Atlantans, who still remembered who had actually freed the slaves...Tecumseh Sherman and his well armed Republican friends from Indiana,Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota. That was the first "mid-western strategy" in politics here.

"who still remembered who had actually freed the slaves...Tecumseh Sherman and his well armed Republican friends from Indiana,Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota."

You want to elicit a very strong look of disapproval?

Go to office hours for one of your African American History professors and start asking why more black folks aren't Rs based on the historic and current (approx 1996, when I was a hard core R) pro-black advantages of the R philosophy. I will never forget that look.

BTW, if it wasn't for the foreign language requirement (which was waived for engineering majors, so I never did it) and two additional classes, I would have had a second degree, in African American History.

You seem more concerned with the race of the candidate than the people you accuse of racism. Why is that, exactly?

If Allen West believed he could get their votes, and knew them personally so that he was in a better position to judge their character than you or I, what evidence do you have of their racism except bald supposition?

And since you have no such evidence, why are you so concerned with Allen West's race?

A black man ran as an American? No hyphen or anything? Can that even be done?

Isn't it a PC rule that - along with forcing adults to use baby talk like "the n-word" - all American blacks are to be referred to as "African-American"? Isn't "American" - like determinations about what words can leave people's mouths - reserved for white people?

Birkel asks:If Allen West believed he could get their votes, and knew them personally so that he was in a better position to judge their character than you or I, what evidence do you have of their racism except bald supposition?

Well, Allen West himself said that the Outlaws do "not accept blacks, Jews or gays", so he couldn't be a member of that organization. So it sure sounds like the Outlaws are a racist bunch, which is surprising because biker gangs are usually such upstanding citizens.

But, hey, if West could get those low-lifes to get past their prejudice to vote for him, I guess we are on the way to that post-racial America we've all been waiting for.

Of the black Democratic congressmen, how many were elected in white districts?....The Democratic stance that Republican women are not truly women and certainly not feminists looks increasingly silly. And just recently a poll confirmed that many gays consider getting a job a bigger issue than getting married. Perhaps this will help to undermine the Democatic position that blacks like Clarence Thomas are not truly black. For some people the capital gains tax is a bigger issue than, say, increased welfare requirements. Why can't blacks be among those some people.

Not so sure those are Aviator wings, edutcher. Aviator wings slope up at the ends and the Aviator/Master Parachutist/Air Assault badge combo would be extremely rare. I'd venture badge #3 is a Parachute Rigger badge.

Interesting that he wears them on his suit. Mine are still stuck on my uniform up somewhere in the attic. Though, I'm not running for office...

Hmmm. Wiki only mentions the Parachutist and Air Assault. He was Field Art'y (Hooahhh), so no Aviator badge. Rigger badges are pretty uncommon among officers, but I'm sticking with the Rigger theory from his time at Ft. Bragg.

I see we were both in the Big Red One at the same time. Interesting! Bet we know some of the same people...

"The DCCC has cried foul because West has written a column for "Wheels On The Road," a South Florida biker magazine that includes demeaning photos of women. The magazine also appears to endorse the Outlaws; the publisher, "Miami Mike," wrote about going to an Outlaw party in the September issue this year."

To summarize... West wrote an article for a biker magazine and the biker magazine *appears* to endorse the Outlaws, most probably by not vigorously condemning them while reporting on them.

The whole article linked to conflates the magazine and the biker gang as if the two are one and the same and apparently on the basis that the editor had contact with the gang, attended a function, because you know... JOURNALISTS NEVER TALK TO SHADY PEOPLE.

Not so sure those are Aviator wings, edutcher. Aviator wings slope up at the ends and the Aviator/Master Parachutist/Air Assault badge combo would be extremely rare. I'd venture badge #3 is a Parachute Rigger badge.

I thought rigger wings were silver.

I've seen that type of wing before and thought it was an Army aviation wing (BTW, I don't think officer branch has anything to do with going to flight school. He may have qualified to fly some sort of fixed wing (spotter/FO) aircraft. You've been in and I haven't, so I'll defer to you).

KUDOS to Col. West for taking this brave stand! I voted for him because he was a man of honor who KNOWS HIS PLACE! It's about time we had someone like him in the CBC, unlike the many others who have a tendency to get "uppity" or "liberal." So long as Col. West does as his constituents direct him, he is welcome in my house any time. Semper Fi!

On his left chest, the top badge is called a Airborne Senior, which means he has 30 or more jumps. Below that is the Air Assault badge. The badge on his right side is a complete mystery to me. Something new, that's for sure.

as for wearing them, absolutely. When I wear a suit on the job, I always have my BSM lapel pin on. I'm getting of an age that young majors want to lecture me on being a warfighter, and the BSM pin is better than a flag lapel pin in convincing them that I already "been there, done that, got the T shirt"

Qualification for awards change. Badges are added to, and modified to such an extent that they are unrecognizable to older vets. We only had the Airborne wings that you received in jump school after you completed five jumps. Then the next Airborne award was for Master Parachutist (master blaster) which required 50 jumps. This morning, checking things out, the qualifications seemed to have changed. Senior parachutist wasn't there when I was in. At least according to my recollection.

They might be USMC jump wings. I've also seen Jordanian jump wings and the German parachutist badge.

Funny he says he doesn't want to be the Army candidate but all his campaign marketing material is a riff on the Army logo and Army marketing material. Nonvets wouldn't see it. Call it a dogwhistle for dog-faces.

There was a huge blowup in the Veterans for Foreign Wars a couple of weeks ago. The VFW PAC committee endorsed West's opponent, Ron Klein, over West, even though West is a member. They also endorsed Pelosi, and made some other stupid endorsements. The membership revolted, and the Commander of the VFW used his power in the bylaws to summarily dissolve the whole PAC. Essentially, the VFW said 'ok, if you are going to be THAT dumb, we're not going to HAVE a PAC, or we're going to start a new one.

No - that's just me - the others haven't really caught up, yet, but they're tending to agree more with each passing day.

The Planter class was quite convinced that it was running a benign paternal system, beneficial to the slaves, who just could not fend for themselves. The slaves often appeared share this attitude. After the revolution (which we call the Civil War), the former slaveowners were shocked and amazed that their former properties were not particularly interested in going back to the same arrangement under a new guise. Necessity and violence (the KKK) forced a new subservience on many of the former slaves, but now the Southrons saw just how unwilling the servitude had been.

One of the amazing things was the magnanimity of the former slaves, even while federal troops were still around to keep the Klan somewhat suppressed. Acts of retribution against the white former masters were exceedingly rare. There were many cases of notable generosity to the former owners shortly after the war, when everyone's need was great.

The modern parallel can be forced too far, but the Democrat liberals are greatly overestimating the gratitude and loyalty of the mass of black voters. Barack Obama and Jim Clyburn notwithstanding, most black Democrats are still consigned to the Quarters, politically speaking.

Representative West says he will join the black caucus because he meets the criteria for membership. He went on to say that black people deserved a different perspective and approach to the liberal one which has kept them poor for 50 years.